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World's tallest man was afraid he would step on world's shortest man when they first met
Featured Image Credit: WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy. PA Images / Alamy.

World's tallest man was afraid he would step on world's shortest man when they first met

Sultan Kösen asked officials to keep him away from Chandra Bahadur Dangi in case something awful happened.

The world's tallest man had some pretty big fears before meeting the world's shortest man.

The unlikely duo met in 2014 and sure were a sight to be seen, with Guinness World Records holder Sultan Kösen standing at a massive 8 foot 3 (251.46cm).

Pint-sized Nepalese man Chandra Bahadur Dangi stood at 1 foot, 9½ inches (53.3cm).

Incredible.

WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy

That's 6 foot 5 (195.58cm) of a height difference between the two of them, which is the equivalent of a really tall man on his own.

The 40-year-old's brilliant height is thanks to a condition called pituitary gigantism, which is when the body overproduces growth hormones.

Kösen was so worried about his large stature that he actually asked Guinness World Records officials to keep him away from Dangi and the other smallest people that were invited out of fear he would crush him by mistake.

"I kept asking officials to keep them away from me," Kösen told Turkish YouTuber Ruhi Cenet.

"I was very afraid to accidentally step on them and break their bodies."

His fears, however, were quickly allayed after meeting Dangi.

The two had an instant spark and fast became friends, with Kösen later inviting him to visit in his home country of Turkey.

The odd couple then posed for photos back in 2014 to mark Guinness World Record Day at St. Thomas's Hospital in London.

WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy

Kösen, who is still currently the tallest living man, revealed that when he met his new friend he couldn't actually hear anything that was said as he was too far away.

Kösen broke the world record for tallest man after 20 years of hopefuls trying and failing to take the title from Moroccan man Brahim Takioullah.

Speaking to Guinness World Records, Kösen revealed how his life had changed after being recognised as the world's tallest man.

Oh, and the person with the largest hands. And for a period, the largest feet on a living person.

"After that day, I was born. Before that, I was a very silent person. Now, I can talk. I’m happy. I’m funny," he said.

Kösen added: "I now enjoy my life."

Dangi only held his title for three years due to living in an extremely remote location in Nepal.

WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy

As per Guinness World Records, he unfortunately passed away in 2015 at age 75 after living a long and incredible life, which is an amazing feat on its own, considering he was a primordial dwarf, a condition that causes a typical life expectancy of about 30 years of age.

Dangi was also the shortest man in history, and was crowned for that title in 2012 in Kathmandu.

Robert Wadlow was the tallest human ever, measuring at a staggering height of 8 feet 11.1 inches (272.0 cm).

Topics: News, Weird, Good News, World News